Means and method of removing ice from roofs



May 10, ,1932. H. R SJOLANDER 1,857,883

MEANS AND METHOD OF REMOVING ICE FROM ROOFS Filed May 28, 1550 Patented a 10, 1932 STATES HENNING BI. SJOLANDER, 0E ISHPEMING, MICHIGAN MEANS AND METHOD OF REMOVING I CE FROM ROOFS Application filed May 28,

My invention relates to means for overcoming the damaging effects which are encountered in the northern climates due to the formation of ice on roofs and the like.

In localities where considerable snow falls on the roofs during the cold months and the temperature is so low for long periods of time as to prevent the melting of the snow and ice quickly, the tendency of the daily melting which takes place due to the sunshine and heat of the building is to cause the water to run down to the lower edge of the roof (which has a lower temperature than that part of the roof which is directly above the house) and there it freezes forming a bank of ice projecting upwardly along the roof from thelower edge. This bank of ice may build up to a considerable thickness and extend up several feet on the roof. Now when subsequent melting takes place above the ice sheet or bank, the water accumulation dams up against the ice and is forced into scams or laps'back underneath the roofing to cause leaks and thereby serious damage to the structure and interior decorations, furnishings, and the like.

Heretofore. so far as I am aware, the only way of eliminating these difficulties has been to cut the iceoff the roof whenever it becomes so thick as to cause the water to back up beneath the shingles or roofing. I have discovered, however, a means and method whereby I am enabled to form and maintain open drainage outlets through the ice down to the lower edge of the roof throughout all weather conditions and thus avoid the backing up of the water from any ice that may form on the roof.

My invention. therefore, contemplates as its principal object the provision of a novel means and method of maintaining open channels to the lower edge of the roof through the ice which may tend to form thereon.

Furthermore, my invention contemplates the provision of such means that may be readily applied to a roof and retained thereon throughout the season when it is needed without any further attention whatsoever.

More specifically my invention contemplates the provision of an elongated mem- 1930. Serial No. 456,777.

ber including as an active ingredient thereof a substance capable of goinginto solution with the ice or water contacting therewith to form a liquid solution having a much lower freezing point than that of the water in its original state and so mounting this elongated member at the lower edge of the roof as to cause it to extend substantially through the distance at the lower edge ofthe roof usually covered by the ice bank. 6g

It is also a more specific purpose of this invention to provide an article just previously referred to with means in conjunction with the active ingredient capable of retaining the shape of the elongated member and strengthening it so as to prevent it from falling apart if it becomes cracked or broken and so as to enable the joining of short or worn pieces of the elongated members of active ingredient if so desired. 7

While it is possible to make this article up in several different shapes or forms not shown in the drawings, I will describe only a few forms which my invention may take by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein-- Fig. 1 is a plan View of the article in its simplest form;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of a slightly modified form;

Fig. 3 illustrates another way of constructing the article so as to make it readily applicable to the roof where it is desired to keep the protective article away from the roof which it might injure due to its composition; V

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a further modification; f

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the article raised above its support; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective of a further modi fication.

In carrying out the objects of my invention, I have found that it is necessary to provide some means for maintaining an open channel from the lower edge of the roof. up wardlya distance at least as great as the; extent of the ice bank which builds up from V the lower edge of the roof, the number of open channels depending of course on the 100 length or size of root. In order to maintain these open channels, I provide a body of a chemical or combination of chemicals capable of going into solution with the water and thereby reducing the freezing point materially and so construct this chemical body as shown by the drawings either as a solid body 6 as in Fig. l or a series of blocks 7 as in Fig. 3 held together by some suitable sup porting element 8 such as wire, cord, or rod. Also the chemical may take the form of being loose or granular and be enclosed in a protective covering or container 9 as shown in Fig. 2. This covering may be a perforate rigid container of flexible perforate material. If desired, the chemical may be impregnated in or coated on a suitable rigid supporting base or on a flexible supporting base such for instance as a rolled sheet, rope or cord 11 asshown in Fig. 4. V

The distinctive characteristic is in all the forms that the chemical be provided in elongated narrow shapes, forms, or assemblies with means whereby it may be mounted on the roof and supported in the direction extending upwardly from the lower edge of the roof through the field normally covered by the ice bank. This chemical may be any one suitable for performing the function of reducing the freezing point of water and one of the cheapest forms of such a chemical is common salt or sodium chloride. The function of the chemical when supported in this fashion is to cause the ice coming in contact therewith to go into solution with the chemical, and the water solution thus formed having a much lower freezing point than the water not in solution will, of course, run down WltllOUi? freezing along the chemical stick or member to or over the lower edge of the roof.

The stick may be placed directly in contact with the roof and supported for example by the link 12' in the end of the stick shown in Fig. 1 or by the end 13 of the container shown in Fig. 2 or upon the protective sheet 14 shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the protective sheets in Figs. 3 and 5 being of waterproof material such as low grade rubber and capable of protecting a roof that would be seriously injured by the chemical from c0n-- tact with this' solution. Thesheet may, of course, be suitably secured to the roof. So long, therefore, as any ice or snow remains close enough to the elongated member to per-- mit contact with it, a solution will be formed and this solution will run off maintaining an open channel the full length of the member and somewhat below it due to the fact that the-solution itself is capable of taking up more water without raising its reducing freezing point sufliciently to cause freezing. I may, as in Fig. 5, support by elements 15 the elongated member completely above the roof, that is to say out of contact with the roof as it is not necessary that it make contact with the roof since the solution formed by the contact of the ice with the member will maintain the open channel beneath the member even though it is placed a short distance-let us say an inch or sofrom the supporting roof.

In Fig. 6 there is shown two additional features which are rather important in that they effect a considerable saving in the amount of material required. In this figure, the members 16 made up of the chemical and any suit-able binder if any is found necessary are provided with transverse reenforcements 17 which may be of any suitable material such as flexible cord or ordinary wire, the purpose of such reenforcement being to prevent the substance, as the lower part is dissolved away, from falling off the supporting cord or wire 18. It will be noted that the hole for cord 18 is above the center and near the top so that most of the substance may be worn away before the cord is reached.

The lower portion owing to its position naturally wears away faster than; the upper part. The other feature shown in Fig. 6 that is important in saving mate'ial is the provision of a covering or roof 19 for the elongated member. 'Obviously this may be in many forms such as either a single piece covering the elongated member or a waterproof coating for the top of each element going to make up the member. This feature protects the top of the member from falling rain,-etc. and thus prevents it 'oing into solutionand wasting the material.

IVhile I have shown several forms, I have found the form which includes the reenforcing member preferably of flexible material such for instance as that shown in Figs. 2

to 5 to be the most effective because it per-- 7 mits joining of short pieces and prevents loss of the chemical due to its wearing away between the ends or breaking transversely and the lower part falling off as would be the case in a stick supported at its upper end and consisting wholly of the chemical. This form also has the advantage that it is more or less flexible when broken transversely if a flexible reenforcing member is used so that it can fit over any unevenness found in the roof and adjust itself thereto.

These members are mounted on the roof in the beginning of the winter season at spaced intervals along the lower edge and are secured on the roof so as to extend upwardly along the roof at substantially right angles to'the lower edge. Owing to the fact that the only water attacking them that which comes into direct contact with them either in the form of ice, snow, or liquid, they dissolve away very slowly and therefore need not be replaced before it is time to remove them in the spring.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Leti ters Patent is:

1. An article of manufacture adapted for use in providing drain channels through a body of ice on roofs or the like comprising an elongated member composed in part of a chemical capable when placed in solution with water of materially reducing the freezing point of the water said member having means at one end thereof for supporting the same on the roof.

2. An article of manufacture for use in reducing and preventing continuous ice bank formations at the lower edges of roofs and the like comprising an elongated channelforming member including salt as an active ingredient, said member being provided with means whereby it may be secured in position so as to extend upwardly from substantially the lower edge of the roof.

3. A means for maintaining open channels upwardly from the lower edge of a roof and for preventing continuous ice banks forming thereon comprising a member 111- cluding a chemical capable of going into solution with water and thereby reducing the freezing temperature thereof, said member being elongated so as to extend upwardly above the upper edge of the ice and having means at its upper end whereby it may be hung on the roof.

4:. A means for cutting and maintaining open channels in ice upwardly from the lower edge of a roof and for preventing continuous ice banks forming thereon comprising a member including a chemical capable of goin g into solution with water and thereby reducing the freezing temperature thereof, said member being elongated so as to extend upwardly above the upper edge of the ice and having means at its upper end whereby it may be hung on the roof, said member including means insoluble in water extending the length of said member to maintain the elongated form thereof.

5. As an article of manufacture, an elongated. member including a chemical soluble in water and capable of reducing the freezing point thereof materially when in solution therewith, and a strengthening and supporting means extending the length of said member whereby to retain the member in its general form.

6 As an article of manufacture, an elongated member including a chemical soluble in water and capable of reducing the freezing point thereof materially when in solution therewith, and a flexible strengthening and supporting means extending the length of said member whereby to retain the member in its general form.

7 A means for maintaining open channels upwardly from the lower edge of a roof and for preventing continuous'ice banks forming thereon comprising a member including a chemical capable of going into solution with water and thereby reducing the freezing temperature thereof, said member being elo1i-' gated so as to extend upwardly, above the upper edge of the ice and having means at its upper end whereby it may be hung on the roof, said member including means insoluble in water extending the length of said member v to maintain the elongated form thereof, said means being flexible.

8. An article of manufacture for use in preventing continuous ice bank formations at the lower edges of roofs and the like comprising an elongated channel-forming 111G111? ber including a substance capable of going into solution with water and thereby materially reducing the freezing point thereof as an active ingredient, said member being provided with means whereby it may be secured in position to extend upwardly from substantially the lower edge of the roof.

9. An article of manufacture for use in pre venting continuous ice bank formations at the lower edges of roofs and the like comprising an elongated channel-forming member including a substance capable of going into solution with water and thereby materially reducing the freezing point thereof as an active ingredient, said member being provided with means whereby it may be secured in position to extend upwardly from substantially the lower edge of the roof, and means for maintaining said member out of direct contact with the roof. I

10. An article of manufacture for use in preventing continuous ice bank formations at the lower edges of roofs and the like comprising an elongated channel-forming member including a substance capable of going into solution with water and thereby materially reducing the freezing point thereof as an active ingredient, said member being provided with means whereby it may be secured in position to extend upwardly from substantially the lower edge of the roof and held slightly spaced from the surface of the and surface to protect the surface from injury by the substance in said member.

12. An article of manufacture for use in preventing continuous ice bank formations at the lower edges of roofs and the like come prising an 'elongated channel-forming mem ber including a substance capable of going into solution with water and thereby materially reducing the freezing point thereof as an active ingredient, said member being provided with means whereby it may be secured in position to extend upwardly from substantially the lower edge of the roof, said member having means covering the top of the substance to prevent falling rain, etc., from disintegrating the same.

13. An article of manufacture for use in preventing continuous ice bank formations at the lower edges of roofs and the like comprising an elongated channel-formin member including a substance capable of going into solution with water and thereby mate rially reducing the freezing point thereof as an vactive ingredient, said member being provided with .means whereby it may be secured in position to extend upwardly from substantially the lower edge of the roof, said member having a waterproof top coating.

14. A device for maintaining drainage passages for a substantial period of time extending upwardly from the lower edge of a roof in sub-freezing weather which device comprises channel-forming means including a substance capable of going into solution with water and thereby materially reducing the freezing point thereof as an active ingredient, and means for securing said first named means on the roof above the lower edge thereof and maintaining the same in position.

15. A device formaintaining drainage passages upwardly from the lower edge of a roof in -sub-freezing weatherlwhich device comprises an elongated channel-forming means, and means for securing said channel-forming means on the roof in position to extend upwardly from substantially the lower edge of the roof, which means is capable of preventing ice formation throughout its length in atmospheric temperatures below normal freezing temperatures.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 17th day of May A. D., 1930.

HENNIN G R. SJOLANDER. 

